Lesson from a Night of Fireworks
Why do we wait for so long for so little?
The Backstory
Summer. Heat. Travel. No school. Cook outs. Camping. Celebrations. There is always more things to do in the summer than there is time to accomplish them. The photographable moments in the summer are no different. Nature and people have a way of being awe-inspiring.
Fourth of July celebrations encompass all of those elements together… heat, travel, cook outs, camping, and celebrations. Most places have some kind of Independence Day celebration, and it brings out the best in people and those that love it here.
The Object
Attending a fireworks display draws crowds out to wait for show, and many make a day of it. Sitting out on a lawn or street side and waiting… and waiting… and waiting… and waiting, until dark.
All the glow sticks and necklaces, sparklers, and citronella candles glow, as we look up to experience the visual magic —with patriotic music humming in the background.
Fireworks in Pataskala, Ohio. I don’t usually get lucky enough to capture in-the-moment photos of things in action, but wow, did my camera phone do a good job that day. Sitting in a lawn chair overlooking the park… a front-row seat to the fiery display.
The fireworks I enjoy watching are the raining down ones that hold their spark draping the night sky, and the sonic boom ones that put a rumble in your chest and remind you that you’re still alive.
All of the “ooooooo’s” and “aaaahhh’s” end with a big finale, but the real finale that many of us dread is… leaving and dealing with traffic! The inevitable waiting, road rage, and unruly pedestrians. It FEELS like waiting is worth seeing the fireworks, but there is more than just fireworks that make it worthwhile.
The Lesson
What is it about fireworks that inspires such attraction that we’re willing to wait for so long for such a short experience? And afterwards, we’re willing to wait even longer to get home?
There are likely scientific and researched answers to the questions, but I think it boils down to these simple ones:
- Humans like pretty things.
- Humans like to stare at things that don’t happen often.
- Humans like to see and feel power.
- Human like to socialize with other humans.
Human nature is powerful, and I think many folks try to ignore the fact that we are animals with basic instincts. We’re social beings, and while we “ooooo” and “aahhhhh” over fireworks we see once or twice a year, we’re usually experiencing them with others — our family, friends, neighbors, and strangers — all of us doing one thing in common.
Looking up in the dark sky… and waiting.
Written by Shaun Holloway.
